WBIR's Emily Stroud paid a visit to one of our dear friends and supporters John Benzinger - a retired flower farmer who now puts his green thumb toward delivering hope! Also, check out our full interview with John from last year on our Blog!
"This week, RAF Tampa Bay is going to 800 [deliveries]. They're more than doubling their efforts, because the problem is so great. More than 5.7 Americans are living with Alzheimer's right now. Admittedly, they may not remember that the flowers showed up today, but when they notice them on the bedside table, they'll remember that [...]
IN BLOOM NEWSLETTER Spring 2018 Welcome to the brand new Random Acts of Flowers e-newsletter! We're excited to have the opportunity to keep you up-to-date on goings-on in Tampa Bay on a more frequent basis, so that you can see how delivering hope is changing lives bouquet-by-bouquet, person-by-person. But, don't worry! We aren't going [...]
When did you get involved with RAF? I became involved about a year ago shortly after attending Tampa Bay's spring Derby event. What attracted you to the RAF mission? I loved the idea of recycling flowers and vases. Further, the delivery of RAF bouquets to the elderly, veterans, and other patients is an extension of [...]
When did you begin supporting RAF Tampa Bay? Working in the senior care industry, I first learned about RAF from a Better Living for Seniors meeting where Monica came to speak. After that, I would see flowers being delivered at the different facilities and hospitals I visited. Working made it difficult for me to have [...]
Just before the end of a long, frigid, lake-effect winter, Random Acts of Flowers Chicago had the opportunity to feel the warmth of summer through a very special partnership with the Joffrey Ballet. For opening night of the company's season opener (and North American premiere) Midsummer Night's Dream, Random Acts of Flowers took center stage for just [...]
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the news of the passing of Cindy McConkey Cox, our Chief Operating & Marketing Officer for Random Acts of Flowers. After a heroic four-year battle with cancer, Cindy died early this morning with her family by her side. I cannot begin to express how devastated [...]
“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It’s what the sunflowers do.” - Helen Keller Knoxville grower John Benzinger has been cultivating the local soil for more than fifty years. In that time, he ran a tobacco farm and a dairy farm followed by a sunflower nursery. He got into [...]
10 Fun Flower Facts for National Poinsettia Day The poinsettia's association with Christmas comes from a Mexican legend. The story goes that a child, with no means for a gift, gathered humble weeds from the side of the road to place at the church alter on Christmas Eve. As the congregation watched, the weeds turned [...]
"We send you these flowers from our hearts" A Hurricane Irma Wedding Story Justin Murphy and his new bride, Katherine, had planned a glorious celebration of their love and life together, but Hurricane Irma had other plans for their oceanside wedding day. Read about how the couple's resilience, love, and generosity touched hundreds of lives [...]